What is the crime rate in Canterbury? 88 crimes per 1,000 residents
Canterbury had 13,922 recorded crimes in the 12 months to August 2026, which is 88 per 1,000 residents and Very High for England and Wales. Crime fell 2.9% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences.
- Recorded crimes
- 13,922
- Compared with England and Wales
- Very High
- On the previous 12 months
- −2.9%
Police-recorded crime in the 12 months to August 2026, per 1,000 residents (Census 2021). Anti-social behaviour is not included. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk. How we calculate this
All house prices in CanterburyWhat are the most common crimes in Canterbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common crime in Canterbury, with 5,775 recorded in the 12 months to August 2026 (37 per 1,000 residents). The England and Wales rate is 35 per 1,000. 4 of 13 crime types are more than 10% above the England and Wales rate.
| Crime type | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 37 per 1,000 |
| ShopliftingAbove England and Wales | 15 per 1,000 |
| Criminal damage and arsonAbove England and Wales | 9.7 per 1,000 |
| Other theft | 7.0 per 1,000 |
| Vehicle crimeBelow England and Wales | 4.1 per 1,000 |
| DrugsAbove England and Wales | 3.8 per 1,000 |
| Public orderBelow England and Wales | 3.7 per 1,000 |
| BurglaryBelow England and Wales | 2.5 per 1,000 |
| Other crime | 2.4 per 1,000 |
| RobberyBelow England and Wales | 1.2 per 1,000 |
| Bicycle theftAbove England and Wales | 1.1 per 1,000 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.9 per 1,000 |
| Theft from the personBelow England and Wales | 0.5 per 1,000 |
Tags mark crime types more than 10% above or below the England and Wales rate for the same type.
Is crime going up or down in Canterbury?
Crime fell 2.9% on the previous 12 months. 13,922 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to August 2026, against 14,337 in the 12 months before.
Crimes and anti-social behaviour each month, September 2023 to August 2026
Which part of Canterbury has the lowest crime rate?
Blean has the lowest crime rate of the 11 areas of Canterbury, at 21 crimes per 1,000 residents. Thanington has the highest, at 91. Average house prices are shown alongside, so you can weigh crime against cost.
| Area | Per 1,000 | Band | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| BleanVery Low | 21 | Very Low | £500,687 |
| BridgeVery Low | 26 | Very Low | £443,529 |
| Herne and BroomfieldVery Low | 29 | Very Low | £341,117 |
| ChestfieldLow | 32 | Low | £556,569 |
| LittlebourneLow | 38 | Low | £390,986 |
| BarhamTypical | 43 | Typical | £491,625 |
| Harbledown and Rough CommonTypical | 45 | Typical | £437,307 |
| CharthamHigh | 56 | High | £342,408 |
| SturryHigh | 64 | High | £313,279 |
| HersdenHigh | 67 | High | £296,948 |
| ThaningtonVery High | 91 | Very High | £325,733 |
How does crime in Canterbury compare with nearby areas?
Crime rate in Canterbury compared with the 6 nearest other areas in Kent.
Canterbury vs Dover
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Dover
- 72 per 1,000
Open comparison
Canterbury vs Thanet
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Thanet
- 95 per 1,000
Open comparison
Canterbury vs Swale
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Swale
- 79 per 1,000
Open comparison
Canterbury vs Folkestone and Hythe
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Folkestone and Hythe
- 71 per 1,000
Open comparison
Canterbury vs Ashford
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Ashford
- 66 per 1,000
Open comparison
Canterbury vs Maidstone
- Canterbury
- 88 per 1,000
- Maidstone
- 73 per 1,000
Open comparison
Is Canterbury a safe place to live?
Canterbury had 88 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, which is Very High among areas in England and Wales. Crime fell 2.9% on the previous 12 months. The most common crime was violence and sexual offences. These are crimes reported to the police, not a safety rating. City-centre and retail areas have high rates because crimes against visitors and shops are counted, but only residents are in the population.
Crime rate is Very High, on a scale from Very Low to Very High.
Very High means the highest fifth of areas in England and Wales by crime rate. The bands split every area we cover into fifths by crime rate, from Very Low to Very High.
How much anti-social behaviour is there in Canterbury?
Police recorded 3,468 incidents of anti-social behaviour in Canterbury in the 12 months to August 2026, or 22 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately and is not included in the crime figures.
What else do people ask about Canterbury?
More quick answers on house prices, sales, areas, green space and crime in Canterbury.
- What is the average house price in Canterbury?
- When did average house prices in Canterbury reach their peak?
- How many properties are being sold in Canterbury?
- What type of properties are sold in Canterbury?
- What price range do most homes sell for in Canterbury?
- What is the most expensive (and cheapest) area of Canterbury?
- How many parks and green spaces are in Canterbury?
- How do Canterbury house prices compare with another area?
Where does this data come from?
Price information is from HM Land Registry, location boundaries are from OpenStreetMap, and households and population are from Nomis Census 2021 postcode estimates (21 March 2021). Parks and green space are from OS Open Greenspace. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Crime is from police.uk street-level data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: police.uk.
Last updated 31 October 2026 at 17:35 with the latest Land Registry data (September 2026). The Canterbury dataset covers 6,072 postcodes.
Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.